56 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
55 
ELECTRIC FUNERAL CAR, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
The principal cemeteries of San Francisco are 
situated in San Mateo County and extend to some 
twelve miles outside the city. The San Francisco 
and San Mateo Electric Railway Company’s tracks 
pass the entrances of five cemeteries, and a spur 
runs directly into the grounds of Cypress Lawn. 
The car illustrated herewith was built under the 
direction of Mr. H. H. Noble, the manager of Cy- 
press Lawn Cemetery, after which it was named. 
It is a substantially built and elegantly furnished 
double truck car of the passenger coach type, the 
interior being finished throughout in black walnut, 
and it is carpeted and upholstered in harmonious 
round trip, with a commission of $2.50 for the 
undertaker who makes all the arrangements and 
takes charge of the funeral. 
There was, as might be expected, considerable 
prejudice at first against this innovation in funeral 
arrangements, and this was encouraged by the un- 
dertakers and hackmen. But it has proved a decided 
suecess, and the car is now in daily use, sometimes 
two and three times, and it has been in demand 
four times one day, but the interference of time set 
for funerals stood in the way. 
The average time required to make the round 
trip, including the layover at the cemetery, is two 
and one-half hours. Fully double this time would 
ELECTRIC FUNERAL CAR, SAN FRANCISCO, cal. -By Courtesy of Street Railway Review. 
colors. One end of the car, completely separated 
from the remainder, is set apart for the reception 
of the casket, and in this part the seats run length- 
wise, and is usually occupied by the pallbearers 
and the flowers and other features of the funeral. 
The other end of the car has seats arranged on the 
regulation Pullman plan, but the platform upon 
which the casket rests can be run through the 
length of the car, to be loaded or unloaded at 
either end. It has accommodations for thirty-six 
persons. 
The car can be transferred to several points of 
the city and the charges, while undoubtedly remu- 
nerative to the company, must be equally satisfac- 
tory to the public. The usual lee is $15 for the 
be required by the old method of carriages. 
The car has now been in use about five years in 
San Francisco, so it is no new thing, but it has 
demonstrated its advantages, and it is unquestion- 
ably a fact that where cemeteries anywhere in the 
country are so situated as to be within reasonable 
access of electric lines, the public will rapidly 
overcome prejudice and accept with eagerness so 
comfortable, expeditious and appropriate a means 
of making a funeral journey. 
The Chinese Ning Yong Association, San Fran- 
cisco, Calif. , have acquired about five acres of land 
in San Mateo county, below and east of Holy Cross 
cemetery. Hereafter all interments of the asssocia- 
tion’s dead will be made there. 
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